Hi all,
There is much to share!
First, people have asked about the current banking crisis. The main thing the Lord said to me earlier in the year was about 3 times of difficulty requiring prayer; One in spring, one in summer, and one in the fall – September/October to end of year. They all had to do with economics and politics. We’re experiencing the first of the 3 points of prayer.
But what He said was accompanied by a very deep peace, like a deep flowing river, smooth water where you can feel the volume of water, the slow moving but unstoppable force of the flow – that is His peace. More on that below. But first:
The team had a wonderful trip to Uganda. We sent a separate email updating everyone on this email list earlier this week, so you should be up to date. It is amazing how the about 446 house churches there have taken it upon themselves to take in street children, children at risk, children left alone in life. Such love and responsibility to others in Christ. Very humbling.
Our goal is to fully fund the efforts in Uganda and Kenya, and if you go to www.kwowi.org you can see the work there and the children. For $41/month you can sponsor a child – we have seen first hand the good work they are doing there, and investing in these lives will change them forever. Thank you.
As you can see above, out Scotland conference is full, registration is closed.
Knowing the times & seasons, and moving with prudence and discretion
In I Thessalonians 5:1 Paul writes: “But I have no need to write to you about the times and seasons…”
The word ‘times’ is ‘chronos’ and ‘seasons’ is ‘chairos’. Chronos is a specific time with a defined start and finish. Chairos is like our seasons of the year, with vague edges where sometimes spring feels like winter at the start, and by the end it feels like summer.
Spiritual times have definite start/stop times, and spiritual seasons have some of the previous season hanging around into the next season until that season comes to fullness and completion.
In I Chronicles 12:32 it mentions “men that had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel should do…”
This is where we find ourselves. We know the times and seasons, we know what our nation needs to do – wherever we live, we know what our nation should do.
Yet many Christians have lived their lives loving the world’s system all the while knowing in the back of their minds things won’t always be this way. As a result they are now afraid, confused, and wondering what is happening.
But we must be focused on that deep flowing river I mentioned above. The men who knew the times and therefore knew what Israel should do, were among those listed who gathered themselves to David, called ‘mighty men’.
Several times in the past, the Lord has spoken to my wife and I about there coming a time for us and many others to ‘walk as giants in the land’. It is the time where people will notice the peace in our countenance and our lives, the order, provision, and rest we walk in, even in troublous times. They will ask why we are in peace.
No matter where you live, no matter the culture, people notice peace. They notice order.
Doing what we need to do in the natural
There is a pattern in scripture showing most often, we must do what we can do in the natural before God will do what He does supernaturally. Or, what we do in the natural is part of the larger flow of the miraculous.
For instance, Joseph had to take his young family to Egypt to protect young Jesus from Herod’s murderous order.
Many times Christians have their priorities reversed; they want to God to do a miracle first that will rearrange their lives in the natural. Wrong. Most times we have to do what we know to do in the natural to see His miracle. God’s saving of Jesus’ life came through Joseph going to the trouble and expense of moving, not staying there expecting God to do something supernatural.
Jesus made the 5,000 sit down in groups of 50s and 100s and THEN the food was multiplied. Jesus had them collect and fill 6 water pots with water and THEN it was turned into wine. Jesus had them remove the tombstone from Lazarus’ grave and THEN He raised him from the dead. In II Kings 3: 1-17 we see the Lord instructing thirsty Israel and Judah to dig ditches in the valley, and then the Lord filled them with water.
Due diligence is what it is called – when we must do what we must do in the natural – THEN the Lord will move. In legal terms it means a person must do what a reasonable person would do in a given situation. It means doing what a reasonable person would do to minimize loss or risk in a given situation.
We do our part, God does His part. Presumption is when we think something is God’s responsibility when it is in fact, our responsibility. Many Christians don’t want to do what they can do and what is right in the natural because it is the more difficult path – wouldn’t it be so much easier if God just did a miracle. Come quickly rapture! People wrongly have a ‘rescue me’ mentality rather than knowing they must do due diligence, that is seen throughout scripture.
That doesn’t mean live in a hole in the ground with 5 years supply of food and toilet paper, lol. It means not losing common sense and having the strength of will and uprightness to do right as you walk with the Lord.
One way to stay in peace…
…is to remember His record of faithfulness in your life. Hebrews 10: 32 says: “Call to remembrance the former days when you were first enlightened, and all the difficulty you went through…”
We are to call to remember the difficulties of life we have been through, then set them in context of the times – what was happening in the world when He was being so good to me?
Was there war? Was there recession? Were there lay offs all around? Did you go through foreclosure, business failure, moving to a different location, surgery, great loss? Yet He sustained throughout to bring you to today. Remember His faithfulness and that He has not lost His ability to do the same now and in the future.
My favorite quote of Corrie ten Boom is: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
Paul told the Philippians in 4:7 that the peace of God can ‘guard’ your hearts and minds. The word ‘guard’ there means ‘to hem in as if protected behind a wall’ – to surround. Let peace be your guard, and you in turn protect that peace! Don’t let anything take it away. Let that peace of the Father guard, hem in, surround in protection, your thoughts and emotions. Bring them back to the control of peace.
That is where you’ll find provision.
That is where you’ll find direction. That is where you will find Him. While confusion reigns in the world, always do what is right for His provision is always seen through doing what is right – but move from peace like a river, not fear. Stay in the river.
Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. I pray for those prayer requests and all who partner with us.
Blessings,
John & Barb, Brian & Amy
